Clock-setting mechanism



i July 16, 1929. J. o. NELSON CLOCK SETTING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 18, 1926 Patented July 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES A 4 "1,720,685 PATENT" OFFICE.

JOHN o. NELSON, onrrornxn, KANSAS.

CLOCK-SETTING MECHANISM.

Applicationfiled November 18, 1926. Serial No. 149,020.

My invention relates more particularly to mechanism for adjusting or setting the hands of an electric clock and especially the hands of what are known as secondary electric clocks which are electrically controlled by a master clock. y

The object of myinvention is to provide means whereby the movement or the hands of such electric clocks may be quickly adjusted and set to the right hour or time without in any way disturbing the e ectrical mechanism and without necessitating the re- ,moval of any of the parts of the clock.

The invention contemplates means which may be quickly operated from the clock ex- 'terior, whereby the adjustment may be quickly accomplished in a brief period of time the secondary clocks.

or fraction of a minute to, enable and permit the mechanism of the secondary clock to respond to the periodical electrical impulses of an electric circuit actuated and controlled by a master, clock at a distance removed from he objects andadvantages of my invention will be readily comprehended from the detailed description of the accompanying drawing, whereinv Figure '1 is an elevation of a portion of the operating mechanism of ajsecondary clock with my improved mechanism attached, as viewed from the rear of the face" of the clock or in sideof the case;a portion of thecase being shownnr sectlon.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view in elevation of a portion of the electrically op-: erated mechanism of a secondary clock with my improved mechanism, a portion -being broken away, and illustrating in dotted lines the operating position of my mechanism.

trol member or key proved mechanism.

In the particular exemplification of the invention, 10 illustrates a portion of a clock case, namely the front frame side thereof,

while 11 illustrates in section the portion 0f the shell of the case as usually employed in secondary clocks of the type in question; the shell at one side being provided with a small opening therethrough as shown at 12.

Secondary-clocks of the type here in question are usually provided with a suitable supporting plate or bracket as at 13, suit- Figure 3 is asectional view taken on they line 33 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4; is a perspective view of the con forfactuating my im-.

ably mounted in the clockcase, on which are supported in any suitable manner a permanent magnet as at 15, having two pole pieces 16, 17 arranged in horizontal spaced relation, as more clearly shown in Figure-3. The upperends of the poles 16, 17 are preferably given an arcuate formation as at 18 to define arcs of a circle corresponding with the circle defined by the outer perimeters 19 l of an armature or rotating member 20. The

electrical mechanism also involves suitable coil magnets as at 21 connected with the permanent magnet and pole pieces; the magnets being provided with suitable conductors or lead lines as at22 of the electric circuit see Figure 1. The supporting plate or bracket also has mounted thereon a crosspiece or member 23 which provides bearing 'ffor the arbor 24 of a suitable pinion 25 which latter meshes with a worm 26 whose spindle 27 is rotatably mounted in the angularly disposed sides of the supporting plate or bracket '13. The arbor 24 of the pinion 25 connot be entered into.

My invention contemplates means which can be readily applied to the electric clock mechanism without necessitating alterations in the'usual movement or mechanism and specifically involves a suitable bracket plate 30 shown of angular or L-shape formation with one end of the bracket attached to the main supporting bracket 13, as for example by screws 31; while the downwardly extending or angularly disposed end of the bracketplate 30 is provided with outstanding ears or lobes 32, '32 arranged vertically in parallel spaced relation and apertured to receive a spindle or rod 33 and to rotatably hold the latter in proper position. The lobes or cars 32 are spaced apart sufliciently to permit thefspindle or rod 33 to receive a disc or wheel 34 on the portion of the spindle or rod disposed between the lobes or ears. The disc or wheel 34 is shown pro- 'vided with abeveled perimeter as at 35 the bevel extending toward the main portion of the operating spindle or rod 33 and therefore the end of the spindle 27 provided with the bevel shoulder or collar 36. The bevel of the perimeter of disc or wheel 34 is made to correspond with the bevel of shoulder or collar 36.

The disc or wheel 34 is secured to rod 33 so as to rotate therewith and normally is positioned adjacent to the inner ear or lobe 32 of the supporting bracket 30 and there fore at a slight distance removed from the shoulder or collar 36 on the worm shaft 27, namely as shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 2. I o

This normal position of the disc or wheel 34 is maintained and induced by a coil spring 37 encircling rod 33 intermediate of the disc 01' wheel 34 and the outer lobe or ear 32 of the supporting bracket 30.

The rod 33 is maintained in substantially horizontal position as shown in Figure 1 and terminates at a short distance from the small opening 12 in the case of the clock; this outer or free end of the rod 33 being provided with a small cross-pin 38.

In Figure 4, I show a suit-able element or key 39, the shank whereof is of a diameter to permit its easy insertion through opening 12. One end of the key 39 is shown provided with a hexagonal or other suitable polygonal configuration to adapt manipulation and the shank proper may be knurled if desired.

The opposite end of the key shank is shown provided with a pair of parallelly arranged hook elements 40 extending lengthwise of the shank and beyond the end thereof. The hooks are comparatively small so as to engage about the protruding ends of the cross-pin 38 and enable rotation of the rod or shaft 33 when the key 39 is revolved by the fingers of the operator. Other means for obtaining operative relation between the key 39 and the rod 33 may be employed, but the connection should be of a type which.

will not only permit it to be easily and quickly made, but which will enable the key to be released without imparting rotation or movement to, shaft or rod 33 after the clock movement or its hands have been set to the correct time or minute. 'For that reason I have chosen the hook elements for obtaining the operative connection, as the looseness or play of this connection is such that slight ac-.

cidental twisting of the key in its removal will not be transmitted to rod 33 and cause an inaccurate positioning of the hands of the clock. It is also essential that the key be of a construction which will permit operative connection with rod 33 to be quickly made so that a setting of the hands of the clock may be made in a fraction of a moment between the periodical impulses of the electric circuit. and its correlated elements and permit the proper functioning thereof.

clock and the secondary clocks, it frequently becomes necessary to readjust the movements and hands of the secondary clocks in order employing a large number of electrically op erated secondary clocks. 7

With my invention, the selected or properly designated operator having charge of the key, when an interruption in the electric circuit has occurred and a correct showing of time by the secondary clocks is not obtained, may in arvery few moments, without the necessity of removing any parts, adjust and reset the secondary clock by simply inserting the key through the hole 12 in the clock-case, engage the hook end with the cross-pin38 of shaft 33 and then pull outwardly on the key against the action of spring 32 until the beveledperimeter of disc 34 is in frictional contact with the beveled shoulder or collar 36 on the worm-shaft 27. Upon proper rotation ofv the key while disc 34 is in frictional engagement with the collar or hub 36 will cause worm-shaft 27 and-worm 26 to likewise rotate, which, through the medium of the pinion 25, will rotate the clock-hands and properly position the latter. The rotationof the wormshaft 27 will likewiserotate the armature element 20 and properly position the arouate portions 19 relative to the periodically energized pole-pieces 16, 17 and permit the various elements to function in the usual manner.'

I have shown what I believe'to be the simplest embodiment of my invention. and have described the same in terms employed 'merely as terms of description and not as terms of limitation, as structural modifications may be made without, however, doparting from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1.- Clock'setting mechanism comprising, in combination with the hand controlling shaft provided with a beveled shoulder, a shaft rotatably mounted parallel with said hand controlling shaft and located wholly within the clock-case, a beveled disc secured to said second shaft, said beveled disc being adapted to move into frictional engagement with the bevel shoulder on the hand controlling shaft, a spring for normally forcing the second shaftin one direction with its beveled disc out of contact with the beveled shoulder, and

independent means insertible into the clockcase and adapted to efl'ect a loose operative connection with said second shaft for pulling the latter against the action of said spring.

2. Clock setting mechanism comprising, in combination with the hand controlling shaft of the clock, said shaft being provided with a beveled shoulder, a supporting bracket in the clock-case, a second shaft slidably mounted in said bracket and arranged substantially parallel with said hand controlling shaft and terminatin within the clock-case, said second shaft having a beveled disc fixedly secured thereon and adapted to englage with the beveled shoulder on said first s aft when the second shaft is moved longitudina1ly,a coil spring on said second shaft intermediate of a portion of the bracket and said disc whereby the second shaft is held in normal position with its disc out of contact with said beveled shoulder on the first shaft, said second shaft being provided with a cross pin at one end, and a removable key member provided with a bifurcated hookend adapted to be inserted into the clock case with said hook-end in straddling relation with the end of the second shaft and in loose engagement with said cross-pin whereby said second shaft may be moved longitudinally against the action of said spring and said shaft rotated.

JOHN O. NELSON. 

